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Text & Translation

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Bist du bei mir
German source: Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel

Bist du bei mir, geh ich mit Freuden
Zum Sterben und zu meiner Ruh.

Ach, wie vergnügt wär so mein Ende,
Es drückten deine schönen Hände
Mir die getreuen Augen zu.

Be thou with me
English translation © Z. Philip Ambrose

Be thou with me and I’ll go gladly
To death and on to my repose.

Ah, how my end would bring contentment,
If, pressing with thy hands so lovely,
Thou wouldst my faithful eyes then close.

Translations by Z. Philip Ambrose are published in J.S. Bach: The Extant Texts of the Vocal Works in English Translations with Commentary Volume 1: BWV 1-200; Volume 2: BWV 201- (Philadelphia: XLibris, 2005) and online at www.uvm.edu/~classics/faculty/bach

Bist du bei mir
German source: Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel

Be thou with me
English source: Z. Philip Ambrose

Bist du bei mir, geh ich mit Freuden
Be thou with me and I’ll go gladly
Zum Sterben und zu meiner Ruh.
To death and on to my repose.

Ach, wie vergnügt wär so mein Ende,
Ah, how my end would bring contentment,
Es drückten deine schönen Hände
If, pressing with thy hands so lovely,
Mir die getreuen Augen zu.
Thou wouldst my faithful eyes then close.

Composer

Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel

Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel was a German composer of the Baroque era. 

Poet

Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel

Composer and poet / librettist. 

Performances

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